


With a Turn of a Screw

by RogueWolf



Category: RWBY
Genre: Based on a Tumblr Post, Fluff, M/M, Qrow hums to say "I love you", Qrow likes taking care of James, Sleepy Cuddles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-20
Updated: 2016-02-20
Packaged: 2018-05-22 00:13:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,269
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6063463
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RogueWolf/pseuds/RogueWolf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There are several benefits to being half metal. Increased strength, built in armor, and the ability to hold hot coffee without burning yourself. But all of that can be stripped away the second a simple gear becomes misaligned.</p>
            </blockquote>





	With a Turn of a Screw

**Author's Note:**

> Based off [ this post](http://anipendragon.tumblr.com/post/139584477100/hc-james-usually-has-to-go-in-for-maintenance-on%22)
> 
> Hadn't really planned on writing anything for it, but the HC kept looping in my head and stuck.

He ached; the gear he had misaligned earlier during the day had knocked up against the wires attached to his nerves and flooded his back with little needle-like pinpricks of electricity. It wasn’t anything serious, James could still function like normal, but every movement he made sent lightning skittering across his skin.

His normal mechanic was out of town and wasn’t due back until late tomorrow. His apprentice, while competent, had only just started learning about advanced prosthetic, and James had decided that it wouldn’t kill him to wait until Grahm was back in town.

He had _thought_ it wouldn’t kill him, but the climb up the stairs to his apartment had left him breathless and dizzy. He had barely managed to unlock the door before he was staggering over to his bed and collapsing, struggling to breathe through the pain that lit up his entire back and side. He was drifting in and out of conscious, his pain both jolting him awake and luring him into the darkness, when he heard the kitchen window squeak open. There was silence, then, “James?”

_Qrow_ , James thought hazily. He had forgotten that they were supposed to have dinner tonight.

“James? Where are you?”

He could hear Qrow moving through his apartment, flicking on lights and opening doors. He should respond, it wasn’t right to make Qrow worry like this, but his mouth was smushed against his pillow, and lifting his head hurt too much.

“James?” Qrow turned on the light and James squeezed his eyes shut, not expecting the sudden glare. “What’s wrong?”

“Mmmphhmm,” James managed, and then Qrow was at his side, gently turning him over. James gasped as that sent new streaks of pain down his side and Qrow froze.

“What happened?” he asked. He was patting James down, checking for injuries, and James smiled tightly.

“My back,” he grit out. “One of the gears are misaligned; it’s messing with the nerve wires and it’s,” he sucked in a sharp breath as Qrow moved, “it’s quite uncomfortable.”

“Quite uncomfortable,” Qrow muttered. “Why do I get the feeling it’s more than just that.” James didn’t say anything. Qrow sighed. “Ok, come on, let’s fix you up.”

“What?” James asked, “What are you talking about?”

“Your back, idiot. You think I’m just going to leave you like this?”

“I’ll be alright with some rest,” James said quickly. “There is no need for you to do anything.” Qrow moved again and James bit off a gasp. “Except maybe stop moving. That…that would be helpful.”

“I don’t think so,” Qrow said, rolling his eyes. He eased himself slowly off the bed and went to James’ closet, rifling past the coats and suits to tug out the toolbox James used to do maintenance on his arm and leg. He rolled it over to the bed and then went to James, one hand on the small of his back, the other supporting his shoulder. “Come on now, slow and easy.”

With Qrow’s help, James was able to push himself up, peel off his jacket and shirt, and then slide off the bed to sit on the floor, propped up against the toolbox. Qrow quickly grabbed a chair and covered with pillows and blankets, and put it in front of James. James slowly inched over and then let himself lean against the chair, the pillow softening the harsh metal of the frame.

“Are you sure you know what to do?” he asked Qrow uneasily.

Qrow hummed thoughtfully as he opened the toolbox. “I build my own weapons, James, what do you think?”

“Your scythe doesn’t have nerve wires in it,” James said shortly, “my back does.” He was angry, he realized, angry and scared that Qrow would make it worse. “I think I should just wait for Grahm to get back.”

“Hey, don’t be like that.” Qrow placed a screwdriver on the bed and then shuffled over to look at James. “Do you really think I’d work on you, without having done some research?”

James frowned at him. “Research isn’t the same as practical application, Qrow.”

Qrow shrugged nonchalantly, but James knew him well enough by now to not when it was forced. “Yeah, well, I took a few classes at the Academy. It’s not as hard as you think.”

James blinked, stunned. “You took classes? Here? But…why?”

Qrow wasn’t looking at him now; instead he was fidgeting with the contents of James’ toolbox. “It looked interesting and, I figured it wouldn’t hurt to learn.” He glanced at James and then away. “You get hurt a lot, you know.”

James was silent, turning Qrow’s words over in his mind. He did get hurt a lot, it was the price he paid for fighting up close. But for the most part, he usually only injured his arm or leg, and he was able to repair them himself. On occasion, he injured his back or side, areas that he couldn’t repair without someone to help him. But James already had Grahm, and he trusted him. There was no need for Qrow to learn unless he-

“Oh,” James said suddenly. He felt a smile stretch across his face. “Qrow…thank you.”

Qrow waved a hand at him and James closed his eyes. He felt Qrow move behind him and then the soft clink as he started to unscrew the plates covering his back. Qrow hummed softly when the plates were gone, and then he was reaching in to tug the gear careful back into place. James tensed, the tugging, slight though it might be, making his back tingle. Qrow hummed again, the sound grounding James, and then the pain spiked and was gone. James sagged against the chair, and Qrow chuckled softly.

“Better?”

“Mmmm,” James moaned. The sudden absence of pain was like a drug; he felt like he was floating, Qrow’s hands the only thing keeping him tethered to the earth.

He left himself drift as Qrow kept working, occasionally humming softly as he tightened gears and bolts, straightened wires. It felt like barely any time had passed before James felt Qrow replacing the plates. He didn’t want to move, he wanted to stay where he was; he felt good, safe.

He could hear Qrow putting the tools away, the latch as he closed the toolbox, and then Qrow was at his side, massaging his flesh shoulder.

“Come on,” he told James fondly, “let’s get you to bed.”

James whined under his breath, refusing to open his eyes. Qrow chuckled and slung an arm around his waist and pulled James’ arm over his shoulder. “Hey, no falling asleep on me here.” He pulled James to his feet and sat him on the bed. James swayed, his mind still fuzzy, and Qrow knelt to tug off his boots, before unbuckling James’ belt. He pushed him down to rest against the bed and curled up next to him, resting his head on James’ flesh shoulder, a hand stretched across James’ stomach.

James sighed and turned enough that he could wrap an arm around Qrow, pulling him closer and tangling their legs together. He opened his eyes to see Qrow watching him, a small grin on his face. “Thank you,” James whispered, and leaned forward to brush a kiss against Qrow’s lips. “Thank you.” He kissed Qrow again, slowly, and then let his head drop to rest against Qrow’s head. “Thank you.”

Qrow placed a kiss against his neck and James shuddered. “Anytime,” Qrow told him, and then he was running his hands through his hair, and as James fell asleep, he could hear Qrow humming three simple notes. 

**Author's Note:**

> You can find me on tumblr [here](http://roguewolfprints.tumblr.com)


End file.
